National Civics Bee
The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. In the first round of the contest, local middle school students will participate in an essay competition. Judges will then select 20 finalists to participate in the local competition: a live quiz event testing civics knowledge. The top three students from each local competition will advance to the state competition. The top student at the Iowa competition will continue on to the National Civics Bee in Washington, DC.
Essay Details
Enter the National Civics Bee to share ideas for improving your community and to show off your citizenship skills. The first step is to submit an essay below by Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., Hawaii Standard Time. A panel of judges will review the essays, and select 20 finalists. Finalists will compete in a live Civics Bee competition for cash prizes and recognition.
Please review all rules and eligibility requirements before submitting. You will know your essay has been successfully submitted when you see your completion certificate after pressing “SEND”. Finalists will be notified by the Chamber of Commerce via email. Please email [email protected] with any questions.
Submit Your Essay Here
Live Civics Bee
The live Civics Bee competition will take place at 1PM on Thursday, April 2 at the Mason City FEMA Room. All students who submit essays will be invited to join the audience. 20 finalists will participate in a live bee modeled on annual spelling bees. Mason City High School government teacher and Mason City Mayor John Lee will serve as moderator, and students will be asked guest questions from national celebrities.
Prizes
Students will be motivated to compete for attractive prizes that will further their education.
Prize Values:
$500 cash prize (local first place)
$1000 cash prize (state first place)
$100,000 prize (national first place)
The most priceless prize? The National Civics Bee aspires to more robust civic participation, improved trust in local institutions, and an appreciation for our roles, rights, and responsibilities.
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